A Knock on the Head
by slytherinprincess2319
Summary: Why is Lily hiding behind the couch? What did Sirius do this time? Where is James? Can Remus save the day and help everyone find their happy ending?


"Lily? What are you doing?"

I peeked my head around the couch, trying not to let too much of my body show. The common room was mostly empty except for Remus. He was staring down at me with a confused look on his face.

"Oh Remus, hi. What are you doing here?" I asked as innocently as I could.

He raised an eyebrow and stared at me. "The last time I checked this was my common room and as Head Girl you have your own common room. Also, I'm not the one hiding behind a couch."

I winced slightly. "I'm not hiding." I protested weakly.

He stared at me with his arms crossed over his chest. I tried to stare back but I couldn't take it. Remus had always been good at staring people down and getting information out of them.

"Ok so I'm hiding. But I have a good reason for it!" I exclaimed.

"And that reason is?"

I sighed. Of course he would want to know why. "Well, as you said, I have my own common room. No one would think to look for me in the Gryffindor Common Room when I could just use the Head's Dorm. So it's the perfect place for me to hide."

He nodded. "That explains your reason for being in here but not why you're hiding in the first place or why you're behind the couch. Why don't you come on out?" he asked.

"No!" I shouted.

Remus looked surprised and held his hands up in front of his body. "Ok, you can stay back there." He glanced around then shrugged and sat on the floor by the end of the couch.

I smiled weakly. "I seem like a crazy person right now, don't I?"

He smiled kindly at me. "A little but no more than normal. What's the matter, Lily?"

"Remember that conversation we had about a week ago? The one about the revelation I'd had?" When he nodded I continued. "Well it's possible that Sirius came to the same conclusion on his own."

Remus looked shocked. "He figured out that you like James?"

I nodded. "Yes. And he was really excited. Like almost skipping with joy excited."

"And this is a bad thing?"

"Remus! Sirius is really happy about this. You know it took him a long time to warm up to me. He thought that James should just give up on me. And then I became James' friend and started hanging out with you guys. And Sirius and I are great friends now. He's like a brother to me but he was James' brother first."

"I still don't see how this is a problem. Isn't it a good thing that he approves of any relationship you may start with James?" Remus asked.

"Well of course that's a good thing. That's not the problem. The problem is what happened after Sirius found out I like James."

Remus drew in a breath. "He didn't."

I shook my head. "I don't know what he did. All I know is that he ran off laughing and singing 'James and Lily sitting in a tree'. I'm afraid he went to find James and tell him."

"So you decided to hide behind a couch in the common room?" Remus asked, confused once again.

"Remus, when was the last time James said something about liking me?" I asked.

He thought a moment. "Actually, I can't remember. It's been a long time. We still tease him about liking you but he always just smiles and changes the subject or walks away."

I had suspected as much for a long time now but hearing it hurt. I could feel tears building up and tried to hold them in. I must have done a bad job because Remus noticed I was trying not to cry.

"Lily, just because he hasn't said anything about liking you doesn't mean he stopped liking you. That boy has been crazy about you for years." Remus tried to reassure me.

"And during that time what did I do? I tried to hurt him. I tried to chase him away. Remus, I was intentionally cruel because I wanted him to leave me alone! Can you blame him for giving up on me? I'm not worth it." I whispered.

Remus grabbed my hands and stood up, pulling me up with him. He moved his hands to my shoulders and shook me lightly. "Listen to me, Lily Evans. You are worth everything. You _are _everything to James Potter and nothing could ever change that. Has he stopped asking you out this year? Yes. But he only did that to become your friend. Would you have ever been his friend if he acted the same way he did as a Fifth Year?" I shook my head.

"Exactly. James knew he had to grow up if he ever wanted a shot with you. When he got the Head Boy badge over the summer he thought it was a joke. It took a lot of convincing for him to believe it was real and then he tried to give it to me, said I would make a better Head Boy. We all convinced him to keep the badge, even Sirius. And we knew that you would be Head Girl. James decided that he would stop asking you out and try to become your friend. He hoped that maybe by being friends with him first you would see that he wasn't that bad and give him a chance."

"And I have seen that. But you said he hasn't mentioned liking me in a while." I reminded him.

Remus let go over my shoulders and led me over to the couch. "He hasn't," Remus agreed. "Because he has given up hope of you ever liking him in return. He said about a month into school that he would be content with only being your friend as long as you were happy. I think he thought that you would magically fall in love with him as soon as he pulled his head out of his arse."

I laughed. "He is stupid like that, isn't he? But he still has a chance. A huge chance actually!"

"I know that and Sirius knows that. But James doesn't." Remus pointed out.

I stood up. "I have to find him. Where would he be?"

Remus smiled. "Check the Quidditch Pitch. And Lily," he called as I started to walk away. I turned back to him. "Good luck."

"I'll need it." I muttered to myself as I left the Gryffindor Common Room.

I can't believe I was actually going to do this. I had realized a while ago that I liked James as more than a friend and had been debating since about telling him. I had hoped he would ask me out again. It seemed that it was up to me this time. I can only hope that I find him before Sirius did. I would rather James hear from me first that I like him. Who knows what kind of spin Sirius would put on the situation.

I had reached the Great Hall when I ran into Sirius again.

"Sirius!" he turned toward me when I called him.

"Hey, Lily-flower! Have you seen lover boy yet?" he asked with a wink and a smirk.

I rolled my eyes. "No. Do you know where he is?"

"I haven't seen him since classes ended."

I frowned. "You mean you didn't go searching for him to tell him that I like him?" I asked.

Sirius laughed. "Do you have so little faith in me, Lily darling? Why would I tell him when he wouldn't believe me?"

"Because you're Sirius Black." I stated.

"Why yes, I am! But I won't take the pleasure of telling him your feelings. That's your job. Have you decided how you're going to tell him?" I paled as I realized I hadn't even thought of that. Sirius barked out a laugh at the look on my face. "Good luck, Lily dearest!" he called as he went into the Great Hall for dinner.

I cursed him under my breath. I knew I had forgotten something. How was I supposed to tell James that I like him? Just go up to him and blurt it out? Or do I act like him and make a big production of it? Oh bugger.

I walked outside, hoping the fresh air would clear my head. I headed toward the Black Lake. There was a tree near the lake that I loved to sit under when I needed to think. I only hoped that it helped me this time. I wasn't watching where I was walking though and ran into someone, knocking us both over.

"Merlin, Lily. You should pay more attention to where you're going." A voice said from under me.

I looked down and saw I had run into James. I stared at him for a long moment before I saw him open his mouth to say something else. I panicked and did the first thing I thought of: I kissed him. My brain might have taken a brief vacation but it was one of the best decisions I had ever made. Kissing James was wonderful. If I had known what it was like to kiss him two years ago I would have accepted a date regardless of how he acted.

I don't know how long we kissed before he pulled away. I frowned at him. I had been enjoying myself and he had to ruin it.

He had a thoughtful look on his face. "Is that how you greet everyone that you knock down?" he finally asked.

I smiled. He had just given me the perfect opportunity to tell him of my feelings. "Only the people that I like." I said.

It took a moment to process but I could tell he understood when his eyes widened. "Lily Evans, do you mean to tell me that you like me?" he asked teasingly.

"If I say yes will you ask me out?" I said hopefully.

James laughed and wrapped his arms around me. "Lily love, if you say yes I may propose."

"Down boy. I don't think I'm ready for marriage quite yet but I wouldn't be adverse to going to Hogsmeade with you." I compromised.

He smiled at me. "In that case, would you be free next weekend to accompany me to Hogsmeade, Miss Evans?" James asked as we got up.

I grabbed his hand and started walking back toward the castle. "I would be delighted, Mr. Potter."


End file.
